Gun barrel



' R. ANTONA TRAVERSI arm.

GUN BARREL Filed Nov. 12, 1937 Patented Apr. 15, 1941 areas" GUN BARRELApplication November 12, 1937, Serial No. 174,262 In Italy November. 13,1936 4 Claims.

One of the reasons limiting the maximum working pressure of gun barrelsof a piece of ordnance the difiiculty of producing metal elements ofconsiderable dimensions, having excellent mechanic properties andallowing of safe employment, which however can easily be secured withelements of small dimensions.

Another reason limiting the use of high maximum pressures is the rapidwear due both to the quality of the metal that must be used for thecentral tube, and to the presence of grooves in the said tube. The saidgrooving is rapidly consumed through usage, and requires the gun beingwithdrawn from service when it no longer sufiices to impart to theprojectile the required speed of rotation to render its travel dulygoverned along its trajectory.

The present invention overcomes the said two inconveniencies bothseparately and combined.

The invention relates to a type of gun barrels of any power and gage, inwhich particular provisions allow to utilize the whole capacity ofresistance aiiorded by the best modern materials, employing these underconditions of perfect reliability as to their elastic behaviour,resistance to breakage and tenacity.

In the first place, the invention is essentially intended to secure theresistance of the barrel being respectively attained by distinctelements, and, particularly the transversal resistance being secured bymeans of one or more series of rings or discs, concentric with respectto the axis of the barrel, and inserted into one another or the one infront of the other, either forced in cold or screwed on hot. It is alsoprovided that between the adjacent rings or discs suitable packings beapplied so as to render gas tight the inner cylindric surface resultingfrom the rings etc. being adjoined. The connection of the said rings ordiscs is such as to create also in the middle part of the elementresulting from their assembly a pressure sustaining surface interruptedat very brief intervals, and increasing the transversal resistance ofthe whole, while it also efliciently contributes to the longitudinalresistance.

The present invention, in the second place, is intended to lessen theserious drawbacks due to wear, in order to warrant a longer life of thevery highly resistive barrels. In this case the unlimited employment ofspecial projectiles that do not require the presence of grooves in thebore of the gun, is contemplated.

These projectiles allow of solving the important problem of using veryhigh charges for naval gun barrels as well as of land guns, particularlyof anti-aircraft weapons. It is therefore provided, if so desired, touse a smooth bore to cooperate with the complex of resistances as abovestated.

In order to have said inner tube uninterrupted, it may be made of amaterial allowing of a high elastic deformation, or even of a materialpreviously so treated as to allow of same (special steel). It may evenbe conveniently slotted so as to be perfectly tight, when not inservice, from the forcing of the adjacent external rings, and in such amanner that, on firing, its expansion will not allow of any appreciableleakage of gases. a gas exhaust tube is provided longitudinally, alongthe slotting, from the outer part of the inner tube discharging in thedirection of the muzzle of the gun. With such an inner tube it will bealways possible to transmit all the cross or transversal efiort on tothe adjacent rings or discs that constitute the principal resistancecore of the gun. But to provide for a greater security as to thelongitudinal resistance and for the plug, the whole complex is coveredby an outer element. The latter may be all of one piece and of amaterial having a low elasticity modulus, or of a previouslyself-reinforced steel; as it may even be as well of steel longitudinallyslotted to allow of the free expansion of the rings or discs withoutexerting an excessive strain on the said outer element. If however anormal. outer covering is provided, between this and the outer series ofrings or discs, a cushion tube may be inserted, this being made: of amaterial allowing of a very high elastic deformation as above stated.

The annexed drawing illustrates, by way of example, two embodiments ofthe present inven tion, Fig. 1 showing a fractional longitudinalcross-section of one embodiment, Fig. 2 showing a similar view ofanother embodiment, and Fig. 3 showing on a reduced scale across-section on the line III-III of Fig. 2.

In each of the figures I shows the outer jacket or tube on which theplug is applied; between the said tube and the series of rings or discs3, the cushion tube 2 is inserted, this being made of a materialallowing of a very high elastic deformation; 4 is the inner tube whichmay be rigidly connected with the disks 3 by pressing the material ofthe tube from the inside into the grooves 5, or by longitudinallyforcing the heated disks on the tube. The zones between the cylindricfaces 6 and l are considerably re- By way of precaution, in this case.

inforced by the assemblage of the zig-zagged disks which are mounted hotor screwed.

8 is the axis of the gun barrel. 9 (Fig. 3) is a longitudinal slot inthe inner tube 4, and ID a gas exhaust channel in the inner tube 4.

We claim:

1. A gun barrel having a breech plug comprising a bored inner tubehaving circumferentially extending grooves on its outer surface, aplurality of contiguous annular disks hot mounted on the said inner tubeand provided with inner projections fitting into the outer grooves ofthe tube, a tube of highly elastic material enclosing the said disks,and an outer jacket enclosing the last-named tube and carrying the plug.

2. A gun barrel having a breech plug comprising a bored inner tubehaving circumferentially extending grooves on its outer surface, aplurality of annular disks having zig-zagged cross-sections fittingtogether, these disks being hot mounted on the said inner tube andprovided with inner projections fitting into the outer grooves of thetube, a tube of highly elastic material enclosing the said disks, and anouter jacket enclosing the last-named tube and carrying the plug.

3. A gun barrel having a breech plug comprising a bored inner tubehaving a slit parallel ;to its axis and having circumferentially.extending grooves on its outer surface, a plurality of contiguousannular disks hot mounted on the said inner tube and provided with innerprojections fitting into the outer grooves of the tube, a tube of highlyelastic material enclosing the said disks, and an outer jacket enclosingthe lastnamed tube and carrying the plug.

4. A gun barrel having a breech plug comprising a bored inner tubehaving a slit parallel to its axis and a channel along this slit andhaving circumferentially extending grooves on its outer surface, aplurality of contiguous annular disks hot mounted on the said inner tubeand provided with inner projections fitting into the outer grooves ofthe tube, a tube of highly elastic material enclosing the said disks,and an outer jacket enclosing the last-named tube and carrying the plug.

ROBERTO ANTONA TRAVERSI.

GIOVANNI PEGNA.

